Last Snow Queen Standing
by Admiral
Summary: A year after the events of Frozen, Elsa and Anna face their greatest challenge as the Queen of Arendelle learns the truth behind her powers.
1. Threat

**DISCLAIMER: **_Frozen and all related characters are the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The Snow Queen and all related characters are the property of All-Union Animated Cartoon Film Studios and Universal Pictures. Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only and no money has changed hands. The story and all original characters are the sole property of the author and may not be used or archived without permission. Lyrics from "Let it Go" written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez._

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**LAST SNOW QUEEN STANDING**

**by Darrin A. Colbourne**

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"We are on the cusp of greatness!"

The horde of men on horseback arrayed before him cheered as Rothgar the Vulgarian, leader of the Mercenary Huns of the Eastern Plains, made this stirring announcement. They knew that just behind their leader lay a narrow, snow-covered pass, and they knew that pass was the last obstacle between them and their objective.

Rothgar confirmed this by using his sword to point to the pass and bellowing, "We will now march up this path, and when we reach the top the jeweled kingdom of Arendelle will lay before us, rich and fat and ready for plunder!"

Again his men cheered, and as they cheered the Duke of Weselton smiled with wicked glee. It was he, after all, who'd spent half his personal fortune to hire and equip this mercenary clan to raid Arendelle, and now, on his own horse next to Rothgar, he was going to see his plan for revenge come to bloody fruition. He would stand aside and observe as the barbarians ravaged Arendelle, raping and pillaging at will, until the will of its people – especially its queen and princess – was broken, forcing them to beg for help from their closest neighbors. Weselton would help…but only after the signing of an ironclad trade agreement that couldn't be broken arbitrarily by the queen.

Rothgar was still boasting. "Arendelle's subjects think these mountains protect them from invasion from the North, but we will show them their error! We will trample their lands, raze their homes, claim their riches for ourselves and…eh? What's that shadow?"

The answer came in the form of his men's screams as a ton of soft-packed snow fell out of the sky at once and buried them. They'd be able to dig themselves out, but not until the panic of the moment subsided.

Rothgar was incredulous. "What in blazes just happened?" He turned to ask the Duke more directly and found the man staring up at the pass in sheer terror.

"IT'S QUEEN ELSA!" The Duke screamed.

"The queen…?" Rothgar turned to look up to the top of the pass. It had been clear before. Now, three mounted figures were there. Two were slim women on regal horses. The third was a bulky man riding…a reindeer? Rothgar was trying to digest that image as he said, "Well, what's the queen got to do with…?"

"SHE'S THE SNOW QUEEN!" The Duke said, fully panicked. "SHE BURIED YOUR WHOLE ARMY WITH A GESTURE!"

Rothgar blanched as things became clear, and in a rage he turned to glare at the Duke. "YOU MEAN HER MAGIC POWERS ARE _REAL_?"

The vitriol brought the Duke back to his senses, and he chuckled nervously as he said, "Oh…did I forget to mention that part?"

Both men turned back up to the pass and saw one of the women pointing at the snow before them, so they turned to look. As Rothgar's men worked to free themselves, an invisible hand wrote three words in the snow:

**YOU WERE SAYING?**

Rothgar gasped, then tried not to have an accident in his codpiece as he stuttered, "D'eh…hmmm…yes…I was saying…_you're on your own, Weaseltown!"_ With that he spurred his horse and rode at breakneck speed back down the mountain.

"That's Wessel-tooonnnnn!" The Duke yelled as he spurred his own horse and followed suit, then Rothgar's men followed as they each freed themselves from the snowfall.

At the top of the mountain pass, Princess Anna giggled as she watched the retreat. "Look at them go," she said. "The Duke even runs away like 'an agile peacock'."

Queen Elsa of Arendelle smiled, but she reflected on the situation more seriously. "Still, Weselton and his mercenaries got much too close for me to feel comfortable. It looks like we can't rely on these mountains to protect us from overland invasion anymore."

"Are you sure?" Kristoff said. "They didn't actually get over the mountain…"

"No, but they were prepared to," Elsa sighed, "and it only takes one person with imagination and resources to show how vulnerable you are. We're just going to have to start sending armed patrols up to watch the passes from above. Let's go."

The three of them turned and rode back down the mountain, with Elsa between Anna and Kristoff. After they'd gone a few steps Anna leaned over to Elsa and said, "Sooo…do you want to build a snowman?"

Elsa smirked. "You always want to build a snowman."

"Well, yeah, because you always make such great ones! You just wave your hands and they dance around and talk and they're just like people…only, y'know, snow people!"

"I suppose so…" Elsa said, thinking. She'd created Olaf on a whim, and didn't even know he'd come to life until he showed up with Anna and Kristoff at the ice palace that night. Since then she'd kept Olaf alive and created several more and all with very little effort. She contemplated that for a moment before continuing. "…but I already made Olaf a wife and children!"

"But he doesn't have any neighbors! Or a postman! Or a milkman!"

"So, you don't just want a snowman," Kristoff said, "you want a snow _village._"

Anna grinned. "That would be awesome! We could make it a county and make Olaf the Count! We'll call it the County of Snowy Corners! Wouldn't that be great, Elsa?" No response. "Elsa?"

It was then that they both realized Elsa had fallen back. They turned and saw her looking down at the snow by her horse's hooves. She was staring at it with serious intensity. To Kristoff it almost looked like she was angry at it. After a long moment of staring, she waved her hand over it and created a snowy dust devil, then watched the snow until it fell back to ground.

Kristoff finally felt brave enough to speak. "Your Majesty, are you all right?"

Elsa turned abruptly to look at him, and the look on her own face had changed from angry to confused, then to embarrassed when she looked at Anna. "I'm fine," she said finally. She even managed to smile. "Really." She started riding again. When she was back between them, she said to Anna, "Come on. Let's go make your snow village."

"Yay!" Anna said, then she and Elsa talked about what the people of Snowy Corners should be like.

Kristoff remained silent. He couldn't get the image of Elsa staring so intently out of his head. She looked like she was staring down an enemy.

**TBC...**


	2. Attack

**DISCLAIMER: **_Frozen and all related characters are the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The Snow Queen and all related characters are the property of All-Union Animated Cartoon Film Studios and Universal Pictures. Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only and no money has changed hands. The story and all original characters are the sole property of the author and may not be used or archived without permission. Lyrics from "Let it Go" written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez._

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**LAST SNOW QUEEN STANDING**

**by Darrin A. Colbourne**

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The almost-invasion by Weselton's mercenaries was the most exciting thing to happen so far in an otherwise routine Springtime in Arendelle. In the year since her coronation Elsa had grown comfortable in her role as queen, just as the people of Arendelle had grown comfortable with her…mostly. It helped that she was always looking for new ways to use her powers to the benefit of her subjects. That was one reason she was outside at the moment, standing on the small balcony that looked south over the fjord. The harbor surrounding the palace grounds was full of trade ships, the crews of which were making preparations to sail while conducting last-minute business transactions. She watched the activities in a relaxed fashion, leaning against the railing with her head perched on a hand.

She perked up when something very interesting caught her eye. The trade ship _Dawn Breaker_ was from the Median Peninsula, a large, powerful nation jutting out into the Middle Sea that had recently become Arendelle's biggest trading partner. Since the _Breaker_ had made Arendelle a regular port-of-call Elsa had heard the female members of the palace staff gossip about the ship's captain, a tall, tan, strapping lord of a man who apparently had a wonderful habit of making final preparations to sail with his waistcoat off and his uniform shirt unfastened all the way. Elsa was understandably curious, but sovereign responsibility meant she had to maintain a certain decorum in public, meaning unlike most of the women around her – including Anna, most likely – she hadn't had a chance to sneak down to the fjord and see what the unfastened shirt revealed for herself.

But today, she had a plan. She straightened up and took a step back from the balcony railing, then held her hands up in front of her face and began to form ice crystals. She took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching. This ice sculpture would be one of the most intricate and delicate things she'd ever made using her powers. It had taken weeks of trial and error to figure out how to make perfectly clear ice into concave lenses. Now she had to mount them in a small, dainty structure that she could use unobtrusively.

Finally, after several minutes, she had a fancy pair of opera glasses made out of ice. They were perfect, almost a complete match for her real opera glasses. And yes, she could simply have retrieved those glasses, but the prospect of having to answer the question, "What do you wish to see with those, Your Majesty?" as she passed someone on the way back from her chambers made her shiver.

She took one more look around and stepped back up to the railing. She used the dainty handle to raise the glasses to her eyes and turned her gaze to the bridge of the _Dawn Breaker._ After a moment _he_ came into view. She could only see his back. The ship was pointing out to sea and he was having a loud conversation with someone on a lower deck. She worried that she might not get to see anything fun at all.

Then he turned aft, and Elsa gasped. She had never seen a chest so broad, a tan so deep, eyes so blue they made her melt. His chiseled features broke into a smile, then a hearty laugh escaped him as he shared a joke with one of his officers. His long black hair was loose and framed his face as it cascaded down his shoulders and back. And his trousers! She'd never even heard of pants that tight on a lower body that fit! Now she understood what all the gossips were talking about. The sight of him was mesmerizing.

So much so, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a playful voice said right next to her ear, "Whatcha doin'?"

The opera glasses went right over the rail, and Elsa had to fight through the shock and melt them before they conked someone on the head. Then she wheeled on the person who'd snuck up on her. "Anna!"

Anna backed away, giggling. "Take it easy, Big Sis! You were just so intent on what you were looking at I just had to startle you!" Then she grew suspicious. "Hey…what were you watching so intently?"

"Oh…well…" Elsa's anger was overtaken by full blown embarrassment.

Anna moved to where Elsa had been standing and watching. "Aha!" She exclaimed, pointing at the Breaker. "You were ogling the hunky sea captain weren't you?!"

Elsa bowed her head and muttered, "Yes…"

To her surprise Anna squealed and grinned. "Isn't he a dream? I knew he'd be perfect for you!"

Elsa looked up again and blinked. "Wait…what?"

"Well don't just stand there," Anna commanded, "go down there and get him!"

"What do you mean, 'get him'?"

"Whaddya think I mean? You're a beautiful queen, he's a hunky sea captain! They write stories about awesome romances like that! Get down there and write your romance, Queen Elsa!"

Elsa sighed. "Anna, I just can't go around clubbing hunky sea captains over the head and dragging them home. I have a responsibility to the family and the kingdom to bring home a proper suitor.

"Oh, proper, schmopper!" Anna said with a huff.

Elsa blinked. "I don't think 'schmopper's' a word…"

"I'm just saying that royal decorum pretty much flew out the window when I got engaged to an ice salesman!"

"For you, maybe, but whoever I marry will be King, so I can't leave such a decision up to my…baser instincts."

"Then leave it to mine! Go! _Get!_ Him!"

"Oh, Anna…"

She was interrupted by the sound of naval bells sounding across the fjord. Both girls went to the railing to watch as several of the ships were towed away from the docks by harbor tugs. One of them was the _Dawn Breaker_. Clearing the docks was the final step before the several ships set sail en masse. Already Elsa and Anna could see mainsails unfurling, ready to catch wind that would take them out to the open sea.

Anna went into a mild panic. "He's getting away! Do something! Freeze the fjord!"

"I didn't come out to stop ships from sailing. I came out to help them sail."

Now Anna blinked. "Wait…huh?"

"Shhh!" Elsa was concentrating. She stretched her hands out high over the fjord, took a deep breath, then whispered, _I am one with the wind and sky…_

High above the opening to the ocean, the air suddenly became frigid. The sudden drop in temperature created a low pressure system that caused warmer air above the water's surface to rise, which in turn inspired a rapid north wind to fill the space left by the rising air. The result was that the sails of the trading ships billowed and the entire fleet sailed fast in formation toward the harbor opening and the tradewinds of the Atlantic. People watching from the docks and the decks of ships howled in amazement and delight, and many times the call went up for "Three Cheers for Queen Elsa!"

Elsa smiled in satisfaction and waved at those who noticed her standing on the balcony and offered cheers and well wishes. Anna, meanwhile, was just stunned. "What did you just do?"

Elsa shrugged. "I created a wind storm that would help the trade ships get to the ocean faster."

"Why?"

"When these sailors reach foreign ports, I want them to tell others that not only is Arendelle a lucrative kingdom to do business in, but that their sailing ships will never be caught idle because of foul or calm weather. They can always be sure of swift passage to their next port or home. That way, more traders from around the world will want to do business here, thus elevating our economy."

Elsa was expecting praise from her little sister. Instead, Anna exclaimed with an accusatory tone, "You mean you've been _helping_ the hunky sea captain get away all this time? _On purpose?"_

"Oh, Anna," Elsa sighed as she turned and walked back inside the palace. Anna shook off the shock and disappointment with a sigh of her own and followed, catching up a second later.

"So…" Anna said coyly, "do you wanna build a snowman?"

"No," Elsa huffed, "I don't want to build a snowman."

Anna's eyes widened a little at the rejection, then she turned down a separate corridor with a sad face, murmuring, "Okay, bye…"

"Wait!" Elsa said. Anna turned and Elsa continued, "It's not that I don't want to spend time with you, Anna. It's just that I only took a moment to help the trade ships get underway. Now I have to go back to the Drawing Room and finish the ton of the day's paperwork I have left."

"Oh," Anna said, understanding. She thought about it a moment. "Okay…well, do you want me to dollop wax for you? I'm a good wax dolloper. I used to dollop wax for Daddy all the time and he said I was great at it!" She delivered this boast with a big grin.

"Okay," Elsa chuckled, "you can dollop wax for me."

"Yay!" Anna cheered silently as they resumed their walk to the Drawing Room, the space in the palace used by Arendelle's sovereign as a working office. Here the walls were lined with book and scroll cases which contained texts denoting sovereign law handed down over centuries. The center of the room was dominated by a massive table with a throne like chair on one side and three smaller chairs opposite. Standing beside the throne like chair were two young girls who served as the Queen's messengers.

As Elsa approached the table she realized the surface of it was still as she had left it, covered with stacks of parchment grouped in two sections: incoming articles to the left of her chair, outgoing articles to the right. The queen frowned as she noted how big the incoming piles still seemed, even though she'd been at them all morning. Still, they had to be done, so she sat in the big chair and waited while Anna took the pitcher of melted wax from the right-hand messenger and took her place at Elsa's side.

Work began when the left-hand messenger placed a document from the incoming side on the table in front of Elsa. These papers were the instruments of state and statecraft: Acts of Parliament needing approval, Appeals of court decisions that needed review, greetings from domestic lords and foreign dignitaries, often accompanied by requests for special consideration. In each case Elsa was required to read the text, write a decision based on what was there, sign it, seal it and send the response off to the appropriate party. This she did with the help of the right-hand messenger, who would fold her written decision into an envelope, and Anna, who would then dollop some wax over the envelope's flap, after which Elsa would stamp the wax with the royal seal.

The four young women continued in this way until early evening when the final response letter was sealed. The two messengers gathered up the letters, bowed to Elsa, and left the Drawing Room. Only then did Elsa show her fatigue by slumping in her seat, while Anna made a dramatic show of plopping down in one of the extra chairs.

"Thank goodness _that's_ done for the day," Elsa said.

"You said it!" Anna replied. "That wax dolloping was so much _work!"_

She smiled and Elsa smirked. "Laugh it up, stinker," Elsa said, "but someday you might be on this side of the table with servants shoving documents in your face."

"Not likely!" Anna shot back. "I expect you to have a nice long reign, Elsa the First, so that you can deal with the document-shoving and I can live happily ever after with my ice man and my snowman village."

Elsa tried to be a little more serious. "You should at least be prepared for the possibility. We can't guarantee that I'll live forever, and you're next in line for the throne."

Anna looked away and huffed, "Well then obviously we have to get you married off so you can start popping out direct heirs…which brings us back to the subject of you helping the hunky sea captain get away!" She turned back to make a devastating point, then was stopped by the sight of Elsa's face. Elsa had the same angry/frightened look she and Kristoff had seen on the mountain. "Elsa?"

Elsa didn't answer. Her gaze was fixed on the window to her left. She just stared for a few moments, then she raised a hand and made a giant ice crystal form in the air. Like most of her crystals, it looked like a big snowflake, but this one was all sharp points and jagged stems. Anna didn't think anyone could make a snowflake look scary…but there was big sister, over-achieving again.

Elsa made the snowflake rotate in the air a few times, then gasped when the crystal stopped, pointing in an offset direction. With that she absorbed the crystal and shot up, calling out in a clear voice, "Messenger!"

One of the girls from before came running back in and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Fetch the Captain of the Guard and the Commandant of the Army and have them report to me immediately!"

The girl bobbed her head. "Right away, Your Majesty!" She turned and left the room again at a dead run.

Elsa turned back toward the window and walked over to it. As she walked, she made the regal clothes she was wearing disappear as the ice gown she'd worn that summer a year ago cascaded down her body again. That made Anna's heart skip a beat. Elsa was going into full "Snow Queen" mode.

"Elsa, what is it?" Anna said as she joined Elsa at the window. Again, Elsa said nothing to her. She just loosened the braid from her hair and took off her royal tiara…then she turned and handed the tiara to Anna.

"Anna, listen," Elsa finally said, "I want you to go to my bed chamber and lock yourself in. It's the safest room in the palace. I'll make sure it's surrounded by palace guards."

"Elsa, you're scaring me," Anna said. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Elsa smirked. "Nope. You don't want to be queen. This is queen stuff. I just want you to be safe while I take care of it."

This really set Anna off. "No! You will not shut me, or you, or anyone else away again in the name of keeping me safe! In case you've forgotten, big sister, that's what caused all of our problems in the first place!"

Elsa was flustered by the response, but managed to say, "I haven't forgotten…"

"Good!" Anna said. She took the tiara over to the big table and rested it in the center, then she came back to the window and took Elsa's hands in hers. She shuddered, but forced herself to take a firm grip. Elsa's hands were like ice.

"Whatever it is, let's face it together," Anna said, "as the Royal Family. I know it's scary to you. I can see it in your face, but it's always less scary when you have someone to stand with you." Deep breath. "I'm not going to your chamber. You're stuck with me."

She smiled, and Elsa smiled back, both thankful and proud. "Okay…okay, but we have to…"

Just then the Captain of The Royal Guard and the Commandant of the Army of Arendelle jogged in. Both men bowed respectfully and the Commandant said, "You sent for us, Majesty?"

Elsa let one of Anna's hands go as the women came close. "I want you to send riders to the North Villages and start evacuating subjects to the palace courtyard," she said to the Commandant, "and I want a company of men sent to reinforce the sentries at the mountain pass. Time is of the essence."

"Ma'am!" The Commandant said, then he clicked his heels and turned, then hurried to carry out his orders.

Elsa addressed to Guard Captain next. "I want you to reinforce the security of the palace and coordinate with the Lord Chancellor. Make preparations to carry out the Frostbite Plan."

Both the Captain's and Anna's eyes widened a little at that. Elsa remained steadfast. She remembered when the Lord Chancellor first proposed the plan, in the most delicate terms he could manage. In essence, no one had any idea if Elsa would lose control of her powers again, so he felt the kingdom should have a more organized plan for dealing with such an occurrence. He'd been as surprised as anyone could be when Elsa approved the creation of such a plan. He'd probably be more surprised when he found out she was about to implement it. She'd already begun by ordering the evacuation.

Finally, the Guard Captain nodded seriously and said, "Majesty," then he was off to carry out his orders, intending first to hunt down the Chancellor.

"Is that it, Elsa?" Anna said. "Are you losing control again?"

"It's not that…it's not me," Elsa said, "at least, that's what the snow is telling me."

Anna's eyebrow went up. "The…snow…is telling you?"

"Come on." Elsa started out of the room with Anna in tow. As they made their way Elsa explained. "I don't just make snow. I can also control natural snow, which makes me much more powerful."

"Right…I knew that," Anna said.

"But I can also _communicate_ with snow. I think that's how I can make snowmen come to life. Somehow, I speak to snow, and it speaks back to me."

"All right…freaky, but all right…"

Elsa didn't speak again until they were standing on a balcony that looked out on the mountain to the north of the Kingdom. She stared at it for a moment, then continued. "When we were up there, coming down after the mercenaries left, the snow warned me of something…something terrible." She turned to her sister. "There's someone out there, Anna, someone with the same powers as me."

"But…isn't that a good thing?" Anna ventured. "It means you're not alone. It means you have someone to talk with about your powers."

Elsa shook her head. "This person, this woman, is _evil_, Anna. Ancient, unrestrained evil. The snow told me. It doesn't like serving her, but it must, as it must serve me.

Suddenly Anna felt as cold as Elsa's hand. "Elsa, why are you starting the Frostbite Plan?"

"Because she's coming, Anna," Elsa said, her voice trembling slightly. "She's coming to Arendelle, and I don't know if I'm powerful enough…"

Suddenly shouts from the courtyard and the villages drew their attention back to the mountain. Both women gasped at the terrifying sight: a wave, higher and wider than the mountain, was rising, and it threatened to bury everything in sight.

It was a wave of snow.

**TBC...**


	3. Revelation

Paste your document

**DISCLAIMER: **_Frozen and all related characters are the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The Snow Queen and all related characters are the property of All-Union Animated Cartoon Film Studios and Universal Pictures. Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only and no money has changed hands. The story and all original characters are the sole property of the author and may not be used or archived without permission. Lyrics from "Let it Go" wr__itten by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez._

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**LAST SNOW QUEEN STANDING**

**by Darrin A. Colbourne**

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For a moment Anna could only stand transfixed at the sight of the wall of snow currently growing over the peak of the north mountain, then fear fully set in and made her unconsciously grip Elsa's hand more tightly.

Elsa didn't complain. She merely said softly, "That's right, sweetie...you hold on to me…"

Anna cupped her hand over Elsa's and held it as if her life depended on it...and judging from the snow wave it probably did. Elsa smiled and gave Anna's hand a gentle squeeze, then turned her gaze to the snow, while her mind went back in time, to when she and Anna played together as children, to the previous year when Anna saved her life, to the times since then when the girls cried together and laughed together and generally made the most of their reconciliation. Elsa took all of that and used it to remind herself how much she loved Anna and Anna loved her back. Love had thawed once, and Elsa desperately needed its help again.

Elsa stretched her free hand out toward the wave, then she gritted her teeth and focused hard on making it obey. At first nothing happened. The snow refused to obey her. She kept trying, and when she finally thought the snow was starting to get the message, she thought,_ It's time to see what I can do…_

The snow slowly ground to a halt, frozen behind the mountain like a bizarre glacier. Then Elsa strained, and with the sound of a giant rock being ripped in half the glacier levitated off the ground, rising into the air until the entire structure hovered over Arendelle. Then with a grunt Elsa made it spin, faster and faster, until it transformed into a titanic snowflake. A second later, it disappeared completely amid a shower of blue magic dust.

"You did it, Elsa!" Anna exclaimed. She was beaming and was about to start jumping up and down when she felt Elsa's hand go limp. She turned and saw Elsa start to fall. "Elsa, No!" The queen was on her knees before Anna could catch her.

Apparently someone outside had witnessed her fall. Cries of "Save the Queen! Someone save the queen!" reached Anna's ears.

"Help is on the way, Elsa," Anna said. "Please just hold on…"

Suddenly Elsa muttered the word "...fine…" then she took a deep breath, let it out and said more clearly, "I'm fine, just help me stand…"

Anna did as ordered, but said, "Are you sure? The doctor should be here soon. If you want to rest…"

Elsa shook her head. "I'm already feeling stronger, and there's no time for rest. The other is still coming."

Just then a squad of royal guards came running to the balcony to find Anna propping Elsa up. "Come with us, Majesty," the squad leader said. "We'll get you to your chambers. The physician is on his way."

"Don't worry about me!" Elsa said emphatically, then realized how ridiculous a statement that was. She forced herself to stand on her own two feet, then said to the squad leader, "I'm fine. I cannot rest now. I have to get to the East Gate. You may accompany me if you're still worried, but I need one of you to tell the Commandant that I want more men to reinforce the soldiers on that gate."

"I'll go, Your Majesty!" said the youngest of the guards, an earnest young man with a crush on his queen. He tried to turn with military precision, but almost tripped on his own feet, and settled for simply moving off as quickly as he could. Elsa smiled sweetly as she watched him go, then turned serious again and took Anna by the hand. Soon the sisters and the guards were making their way through the palace halls.

"What happened, Elsa?" Anna asked. "Did the...other...snow person hurt you?"

"No, I hurt myself," Elsa said. "I had to fight for control of every single particle of ice in that wave. It was an incredible strain. I may not have the strength to do it again."

No one said anything else until the group was in the palace courtyard and they encountered the Lord Chancellor. "Ah, Majesty," he said, "good to see you're all right...and you as well, Your Highness. Shall I stop evacuating subjects into the yard?"

"No," Elsa said, "continue as before. The kingdom is still under threat."

"Very good, Ma'am. We'll redouble our efforts."

Elsa nodded and continued on with Anna in tow. She wasn't at all surprised to see the gates wide open. That was because of standing orders, based on her promise to Anna. The gates of the palace would never be closed again, not if Queen Elsa had anything to say about it. Of course, those orders could be rescinded at any time, but Elsa owed Anna so much, that she would rather find a way to keep her promise than disappoint her best friend.

That was why, instead of closing the East Gate and raising the drawbridge that led to the Eastern Land Bridge - like a sensible monarch - Elsa simply walked through the massive doorway with Anna at her side and three loyal guardians at her back. She stopped just outside the door, staring off to the east and waiting for the reinforcements she ordered to position themselves on the parapets and in the entrance.

As they waited, she gave Anna's hand another little squeeze and said, "Are you ready? When she comes she's going to come from this side of the mountain, and she's going to come right up this bridge to this gate, and the first things in her way will be you and me."

"Let her come," Anna said, feeling confident. "There's nothing in the world we can't beat if we face it together. She's going to be sorry she messed with the Royal Sisters of Arendelle."

_I'm glad one of us thinks so,_ Elsa mused. She was hiding it, but she still felt weak from stopping the snow wave.

Soon a strange sound drew their attention to the closest mountain pass. It was Spring, but the girls could swear they heard sleigh bells coming from the path.

Also, on the far side of the mountain in that area, it was snowing.

"Um, are you doing that, Elsa?" Anna asked.

"Nope," Elsa said, "not me."

"Okay...kinda freaked now...but I'm staying right here at your side." Anna said it with determination.

The strange little snowfall started to move, revealing its purpose. It was laying a heavy carpet of snow on the path to ensure that a snow sled in the distance could travel properly. The sled was the source of the bells. They rang incessantly as two horses at full gallop pulled the sled ever closer to Arendelle. Details could only be made out when the sled was almost at the land bridge. The sled was bright white in color, and the two horses pulling it were the largest the sisters had ever seen. It was hard to make out the driver or any passengers, but that wouldn't be a problem soon.

Still the little snowfall blanketed the sled's path in white. That didn't stop the horses' hooves from sounding like thunder and rattling the wood of the bridge as they approached. Elsa and Anna stood their ground, Anna less surely than before. _Elsa wouldn't let those things trample us without doing something...would she?_

Finally, when it looked like the sled would go through them to get into the gate, Elsa reached out her free hand and dispersed the little snowfall, an action that made the horses stop short and rear up, slamming their hooves down again hard and whinnying their aggravation.

Anna just wiped some sweat from her brow and tried not to think about how close that was.

"Still with me?" Elsa said.

"I'm right here," Anna said. "I'll always stand with you."

Both girls turned their attention back to the sled. The vehicle was also massive, ornately carved and mostly white in appearance. It looked brand new, as if it had never been used before today. The size of it still obscured the rider or riders. Elsa said her piece anyway.

"I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle! This is a peaceful kingdom! If you've come in the spirit of friendship and goodwill, you will find no greater friends than my people. If you've come harboring ill will, then turn around, for this kingdom is under my protection."

There was silence for a few moments, then there was movement in the sled. A figure rose, then climbed out, making everyone gasp.

She was incredibly tall, of a height that almost qualified her as a giant. She wore a stark white sheath gown, held in place by an ornate collar of white and light blue gems. The gown hid what must have been a solid, buxom figure, and the tiara she wore was decorated the same way as the collar. Her hair and skin were the color of arctic ice, shadowed in gray, and her handsome, strong face displayed piercing ice blue eyes. She carried a regal staff even taller than her, and she walked toward Elsa and Anna with an air of menace.

"You know what?" Anna said. "I'm gonna face her with you from _back here_." She ducked behind Elsa just before the strange woman got close.

When the stranger spoke, it was with a voice that was deep and chilling and filled with malevolence. "_Your_ protection? And who are you, little queen, that I should worry myself over something so unimportant?"

That made Anna brave enough to poke her head over Elsa's shoulder and say, "You better watch what you say! My sister's no ordinary queen!"

"Really," the stranger said. "What kind of queen is she, then?"

"She's the Snow Queen!"

"Is she?"

"That's right, so you better just get back in your sport utility sled and go home, before you make her really mad!"

The stranger just smiled, and then she threw her head back and laughed. The laughter was hearty and echoed across the courtyard, drawing the attention of anyone not already bearing witness to the confrontation.

When the laughter died the smile disappeared, and when the stranger faced the girls again her face was a mask of indignation. "You arrogant little_ impostor_," she hissed at Elsa. "I was _born_ of the ice and snow! I claimed my birthright when mountains of ice covered most of this Earth! My empire extends from the glaciers of the northern seas, to the tops of the tallest mountains, to the skies where the smallest crystals form! Winter lasts as long as I command and is as severe as I see fit! I am _Hacia_, you young upstart, and_** I** _AM THE SNOW QUEEN!"

Hacia raised her staff and slammed the base of it on the ground. On impact, a tornado of cold wind and peals of thunder erupted around her. Soon the tornado filled with hail and sleet and clusters of snow the size of bees.

Anna and the guards backed off as the storm started to expand and storm gusts of wind broke away and started to hammer the East Wall. Only Elsa stood her ground, and when it looked like she might be swallowed whole by the small blizzard, Elsa raised her right foot and stomped it on the bridge. A giant ice crystal formed beneath her and started to rotate. As it did, it absorbed the wind, the hail and the snow, until all was calm again.

When she was done, Elsa was glaring at Hacia. "Not...in _this_ kingdom, you aren't…" she said. She was out of breath, embarrassed at how much effort that had just taken, but she was determined not to let this stranger loose on her subjects.

Hacia's reaction to being thwarted was strange. There was no anger, or even surprise at what Elsa had just done. In fact she seemed almost satisfied, and when she spoke again she was much more cordial. "Of course, I am not without mercy, Elsa. If you are willing to strike a bargain I would be more than willing to leave this tiny kingdom untouched."

"I'm listening," Elsa said.

"I have lived a very long time and may live longer still, but I will not live forever, and I do not wish for my empire to be left without a ruler. I therefore require an heir, to pass on my knowledge and my legacy to, so that a true Snow Queen will always hold sway over this world."

"I understand needing an heir, but why seek one in Arendelle? Surely there are other nations with people who have the qualities you desire…"

"Haven't you guessed yet, young impostor? I have come to Arendelle to claim the rightful heir to my throne..._my daughter_. I am here for you."

The silence this statement engendered was deep and thoughtful as everyone within earshot contemplated what those words meant. No one could think of anything to say…

...except for Anna, who walked up next to Elsa, looked Hacia in the eye and said, "Wait...so Elsa's adopted?" Then she looked away and muttered, "Wow...that answers a whole bunch of questions…"

Elsa and Hacia just looked at her, then they looked at each other and rolled their eyes…

**TBC...**


	4. Bargain

**DISCLAIMER: **_Frozen and all related characters are the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The Snow Queen (1957) and all related characters are the property of All-Union Animated Cartoon Film Studios and Universal Pictures. Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only and no money has changed hands. The story and all original characters are the sole property of the author and may not be used or archived without permission. Lyrics from "Let it Go" written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez._

* * *

**LAST SNOW QUEEN STANDING**

**by Darrin A. Colbourne**

* * *

"I am _not_ adopted," Elsa said sternly to Anna, then Hacia, "and I am _not_ your daughter. My parents were the King and Queen of Arendelle…"

"The King was your father certainly," Hacia said, "but you were born of a romance we shared shortly before he was crowned king. It was my intention to raise you on my own, but His Majesty..._disagreed_ with my parenting choices, and one of his first acts as king was to take you from me. He and his Queen then raised you as if you were theirs."

"And you've waited this long to come back for me?"

"But I have come for you, my dear, and I'm offering you the chance to rule over a kingdom no mortal will ever take from you."

"Hold on!" Anna said. "You can't just waltz into Arendelle and make Elsa go with you!"

"I've merely given her a choice," Hacia said. "She is the rightful heir to two realms. I'm only asking that she accept her responsibilities in the case of her first birthright."

"By threatening the second." Elsa said. "That's no choice at all."

"But if you come with me, that act alone means you are still protecting this realm...mostly from me." She delivered that line with a slight grin. "In the end, however, you will find that you have made the best choice."

"How?"

"I know that you've had trouble controlling your powers in the past. You've improved in the past year, but are unaware of how much power you truly have. I know this because the snow has told me."

"Oh, crud!" Anna whispered in Elsa's ear. "She can talk to snow too!"

"Come with me and I can train you, show you the true range of your gifts, and someday, when I am gone, you will command an empire greater than any in the mortal world, and you will have a profound effect on that world. You will control when men plant, when they harvest, when they march for war and sue for peace…" She grinned wide. "You already control when they sail and when they do not, don't you?"

Elsa lowered her head and looked away, saying nothing. Hacia continued in the silence.

"You will reign from a mountain so high the entire world will lay before your gaze. Your castle will be a fortress of strong arctic ice, your courtyard an impassible expanse of pristine white snow, your guardian the coldest and most biting of cold northern winds…"

Elsa let Hacia's words wash over her. She contemplated the fact that there might have been a time when she would have jumped at the offer, but previous experience allowed her to see the picture Hacia painted for what it really was:

_A kingdom of Isolation…_

Finally she said, "I've tried that before. I've found I don't like it much." She raised her head and looked Hacia in the eye. "I've made my choice. Arendelle is my kingdom. Its people are my people. I would never leave them to rule ice and snow from afar. If there is something else that would let you turn your attention from Arendelle, I'm willing to listen further, but I will not leave."

Again, no outward anger or surprise, merely a raised eyebrow. "I see," Hacia said. "Well...there is one thing…" She turned her head a bit toward her sled and raised her free hand.

There were gasps and screams as two more creatures emerged from the sled. They were literally little devils, short and crimson hued, with little horns on their heads and little spiked tails emerging from their backs, and they grinned and cackled as they stepped on to the bridge carrying an object between them. The object looked like a full-length mirror made of polished black ice.

As the devils came closer Elsa forced herself to look away. Anna was transfixed at the sight of them however, and when they were close enough she caught a glimpse of herself in the black mirror. Her reflection looked...distorted.

Hacia smiled when she saw Anna's reaction. She raised her staff and said to Elsa, "Stop _this_ if you can, Queen of Arendelle…"

The base of the staff struck the mirror, shattering it into millions of small shards as Hacia's storm rose again. The storm winds carried the shards toward the Eastern Wall, threatening to injure everyone caught in the small blizzard.

Try as she might, Elsa couldn't stop it. The winds and the ice simply would not obey her. For a moment the gusts were so strong they blew Elsa and Anna apart.

In that moment, Elsa's world collapsed as she watched black ice shards strike Anna in the eye and then in the heart.

The storm faded away immediately afterward. Elsa screamed "Anna!" as she ran over to where Anna lay on the ground. Elsa knelt nearby and lifted Anna's head onto her lap. "Get the doctor!" She screamed. Several people nearby complied.

Anna started to move and groan. "Don't move, sweetie…" Elsa said quietly, "help is coming."

"...wayfrm...e" Anna said as she roused herself.

"What?" Elsa said. "I didn't understand…"

"I said," Anna said as she sat up, "get _away_ from me!"

"Anna! What are you talking about?"

Anna turned to look at her, and the redhead's face was a mask of contempt and rage as she said, "Wow...you really are a _dumb blond_, aren't you? I mean let me go, don't touch me, and stop _pretending_ you care about me!"

"Anna, I do care about you! I love you!"

Anna stood and screamed, "Liar! You never loved me! Never cared! You were my best friend, and then you left me alone for twelve years! I looked up to you, and you just abandoned me!"

"Anna, no...that was father…"

"Stop blaming him! It was you!"

"I couldn't see you, even if I wanted to!"

Anna got right in Elsa's face. "If you really wanted to see me, not all the King's horses and men could have kept you away, not with your powers. You just didn't want to see me. You didn't want me at all." She straightened up. "Well, I don't want you anymore, Elsa, as a sister, or a friend, or a queen!"

Elsa started crying. "Anna, please don't say such things…"

There was silence for a time as Anna glared at Elsa and Elsa looked up at Anna pleadingly. Then a voice said, "Would you like to come with me?"

It was Hacia. Anna and Elsa turned to her, and she said to Anna, "If you went home with me you would never have to see Elsa again. I can show you new friends, and you'll never have to think about your loneliness again."

This made Elsa stand and confront Hacia. "No! She won't go with you!"

"Stop speaking for me!" Anna screamed. To Hacia, she said, "Yes...yes, I'll go with you."

Elsa watched in horror as the grinning devils approached. Each took one of Anna' s hands and led her gently back to Hacia's sled. All three climbed in, leaving Elsa and Hacia facing off.

"Let her go!" Elsa said. "Please!"

"Well, Elsa," Hacia said evenly, "I told you I have come for my heir. Rightfully, that will always be you...but you've made your choice. So, if I cannot have you…I'll have your next-in-line." She grinned and turned to board the sled herself.

"Stop!" Elsa screamed. She gestured and a host of sharp icicles stretched toward Hacia. Hacia tilted her staff and melted them. Elsa screamed bloody murder and tried again, loosing more icicles. Hacia tapped her staff on the bridge and twice as many icicles intercepted Elsa's and shattered them. Elsa was incensed, but by the time she could think of something else to do Hacia was sitting down in the sled. Finally, Elsa thought to charge the vehicle, but she'd only taken a single step toward it before a wall of ice rose up in front of her, blocking the entire bridge. Elsa screamed again and shattered the wall with a blast of raw power. The wall rebuilt itself before she hit it again, and the sled turned and sped away as Elsa tried to destroy the barrier over and over again. By the time the wall was down for good, the sled was long gone.

Elsa fell to her knees in sorrow. "Anna, no…" she sobbed, "...come back…"

Under her, frost started to form on the bridge. It was freezing over, and the ice was reaching for the East Wall. Snow was gathering around Elsa, and the temperature of the air dropped rapidly.

Elsa slammed her fists down and screamed, "AAANNAAAAAAAA!"

The cold winds and snowfall intensified around her. _Let the storm rage on…_

**TBC...**


	5. Expedition

**DISCLAIMER: **_Frozen and all related characters are the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The Snow Queen (1957) and all related characters are the property of All-Union Animated Cartoon Film Studios and Universal Pictures. Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. No copyright infringement is intended. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only and no money has changed hands. The story and all original characters are the sole property of the author and may not be used or archived without permission. Lyrics from "Let it Go" written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez._

* * *

**LAST SNOW QUEEN STANDING**

**by Darrin A. Colbourne**

* * *

Elsa was prostrate at the center of two storms.

One was an emotional storm, a maelstrom of sadness and grief brought on by Anna's sudden and total rejection of her. She was at a loss as to what came over her little sister. _What have I done? I thought Anna had forgiven me...I thought she'd accepted me!_

The other storm was much more physical and thus much more dangerous. Freezing temperatures, hurricane force winds and giant hailstones formed a deadly storm around her, one that grew larger and more powerful every moment she felt despair. She hardly noticed, crouched as she was in the eye of the storm, but deep beneath her grief a little voice kept reminding her of its existence and how bad it was getting.

It didn't truly register until after she felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. She pulled away on reflex and her head shot around. She gasped at the sight that greeted her. It was one of the palace guards...more, it was the guard that had a crush on her. He was covered in ice crystals and bleeding from several places where he'd been struck by hailstones. He tried to speak when he saw her, but was so battered he couldn't make his mouth form words.

He'd weathered her storm just to bring her back to her senses.

Elsa turned away and slammed her hands palm-down on the bridge and forced herself to think of nothing but the good things Anna had brought to her life to this point. She concentrated mostly on the past year and everything they'd done to rekindle their relationship. It helped her find the love she needed to get control of the storm. Slowly, gradually, the winds died down, the hailstones broke up into small harmless particles, frost receded and the temperature around her rose. She kept going until there was no hint of any winter storm at all, no clue that she had battled another snow queen on this bridge...and lost.

When she was sure she had her powers back under control she moved to comfort the battered guard next to her. "Please! He's hurt badly!" She called out. "Someone help him!"

Four more palace guards arrived almost immediately. Two grabbed the fallen guard by the arms and legs and carried him off. "We'll get him to a physician, ma'am!" One said.

The other two guards took Elsa gently by the arms. "Let's get you on your feet, Majesty," he said quietly to her.

Elsa sighed and let herself be stood up. "Of course," she said, surrendering. "Take me away. I deserve it."_ I've lost control again and hurt someone. They'll never forgive me._

The guard smiled. "We'll be taking you to your bedchamber to rest. You've done a great deal today. You need to build your strength back up."

Elsa barely heard. She was too busy trying to keep her powers in check while grieving for her sister. Then she stopped short. "Kristoff! Someone must find Kristoff and tell him! He's…"

The Lord Chancellor stepped up. "He'll be found and brought back, Your Majesty, Don't worry. You just go with these men and take care of yourself."

Elsa just nodded, only half-sure of what she'd just agreed to do. Take care of myself? Why bother? What reason do I have to live for when the one person I've always lived for now hates me? She started sobbing, and once the tears started ice crystals formed in her wake with each of her footsteps.

* * *

In Hacia's sled, Anna sat hugging herself and shivering as they traveled. "What's wrong, child?" Hacia asked sweetly.

"C-c-coldcoldcoldcold," Anna said, "s-so cold-d…"

"Is that all?" Hacia leaned over to Anna and kissed the top of the girl's head. In moments Anna had stopped shivering. She was still just as cold, but somehow it was like her body no longer cared.

"Better?" Hacia asked.

"Yes…" Anna said, tentatively.

"Oh, but I see you're still troubled. I'd like to help if I can."

A pause, then, "Did I do the right thing?"

"Of course you did. You'll be where you belong now. I'll teach you all I know, and you will have power beyond your wildest dreams."

"But...what about Elsa?"

This time Hacia blew Anna a kiss, letting her crystallized breath hit the princess squarely between the eyes. Anna winced as a sudden storm erupted inside her mind. The storm was made up of images that represented memories of her sister. Some lingered, some were ripped away before she could see them clearly. When her head cleared, she was frowning.

"What about Elsa?" Hacia said.

"Nothing," Anna said sharply. "I won't let her hurt me ever again."

Hacia smiled. "Very good. Then I won't kiss you again." There was no need. Anna would be compliant now, and as long that was the case she was more useful alive than dead.

With Anna alive, the real prize could still be won.

Hacia gestured to the devil steering the sled. He in turn used the reins to spur the horses into the air, taking the sled with them.

Hacia, the Snow Queen, sped off into the evening sky with her captive, heading north.

* * *

Elsa, the Snow Queen, was reliving a nightmare. She was on her knees on the frozen fjord again, grieving for Anna, her head bowed and waiting for the death blow Hans was poised to deliver. Then just as he swung, Anna arrived and raised her hand to block his sword. She froze solid at the moment of impact, just as she had a year ago. This time, though, Anna shattered instead of Hans's sword, which continued its fatal swing until it severed Elsa's head at the neck.

Elsa's eyes opened just as her head in the nightmare landed on the ice. She was confused until she realized where she was. She remembered being brought to her bedchamber the previous evening by the palace guards, and then dressed for and put to bed by her faithful maid Gerda. She must have cried herself to sleep, and now she found herself sitting up in her bed and looking out her east-facing window at a new dawn…

...in a room where everything was covered in a thin layer of frost. She assumed she'd lashed out with her power while she was dreaming about Hans killing both sisters, a nightmare she'd had several times since the actual attempt on her life. "Damn," she said softly...and just the tiny bit of negative emotion behind the word started a snow fall in the room. That made her laugh and helped her imagine that Anna would think it was hilarious. With that in mind, she drew all the frost into herself until the room was back to normal.

With that done she drew her knees to her chest and pondered the events of the previous day. What had made Anna say those things to her and leave? Why then when she'd had a whole year to get such things off her chest? Elsa remembered pieces of Hacia's strange mirror striking Anna. Could that have done something to her? She didn't know, and she sighed as she decided she'd never find out if she stayed in bed, so she got up and put on a robe, then walked over to the door to the bedchamber.

She hesitated a bit before putting her hand on the door handle, feeling apprehensive but not sure why. It took a moment to build up her courage, but she stood tall and opened the door, ready to peek out and see if anyone was in the corridor…

...until two palace guards startled her by peeking in first.

"Your Majesty!" The senior man said, then both men turned to her fully and came to attention. "Good Morning, ma'am. How may we be of service?"

Elsa was unsure of what to say at first, worried that she was under some kind of house arrest. "Um...that man I...hurt yesterday...how is he doing?"

"He's in Barracks, recovering," the junior man said. "The physician said he will recover fully with time."

"Oh...thank you, that's good to hear. I'd like to send my apologies to him. Can you tell me his name?"

"Guardsman Swanson, Your Majesty."

"Swanson," Elsa repeated, absently. There was another awkward pause, then: "Did anyone find Kristoff?"

The senior man spoke up next. "He was found and brought to the palace earlier this morning, Majesty. He's been put up in guest quarters until you're ready to see him."

"Oh. Actually, I feel like I should see him now…"

The junior man piped up. "I'll fetch him for you." He turned and headed down the corridor to the left.

"Wait!" Elsa said. "It's early yet! I don't want you to wake him!"

"I'll check first, ma'am!" The guard called back.

Left alone, the senior guard smiled at Elsa and took hold of the door handle. "I'll let you know when he returns, either way," he said. He then pulled the door closed.

Alone in her bedchamber again, Elsa contemplated the encounter._ Maybe not house arrest,_ she thought,_ or if it is, it's the most polite house arrest I've ever heard of._ Still, with the guard at the door she didn't feel like walking out just yet, and she definitely didn't want to go back to bed. All she could think of to do was pace, so she started walking in a small circle on the rug by the door, trying to decide what she'd say to Kristoff. After the first few steps ice crystals began to form on the rug. When she realized it was happening she stopped, looked down at her feet and commanded, "Stop it!" Then with a light foot-stamp she drew all the frost back into them.

A few minutes later there were a couple of raps on the door, followed by the senior guard opening it. He came to attention again and announced: "Master Kristoff to see you, Your Majesty." He then stepped aside to allow the broad-shouldered ice merchant to amble in. He smiled at her and offered an embarrassed little wave.

Elsa smiled back and said to the guard, "We'll be all right. You may leave us."

"Ma'am," the guard said with a nod. He closed the door behind him.

Again Elsa found herself struggling for words. Finally she said, "Have you been told what happened?"

Kristoff nodded solemnly. "As soon as the soldiers found me. We came straight back to the palace after that."

Elsa came close. "I am so sorry, Kristoff."

Kristoff blinked. "You are? Why?"

"I lost Anna," Elsa said, voice cracking. "I was weak, and I lost control and I let that witch take her from both of us."

Kristoff's eyebrow went up. "That's...not the way I heard it…"

"It's the truth," Elsa sighed. "I'm a failure as a queen and a big sister." She bowed her head, glad to confess herself to Anna's fiance. She waited for him to respond, hoping he could find a way to forgive her.

Instead he did something completely unexpected. He started chuckling.

Elsa heard this and raised her head to glare at him. "What's so funny?" She asked.

Kristoff forced himself to stop chuckling, but had to keep smiling as he said, "Wait...wait...let me see if I can put this the way Anna would." He took a deep breath and, with a really cracked falsetto and a shaking finger, he imitated Anna saying, "Elsa, one of these days you have to talk to somebody about your self-esteem issues!" Then he had to start chuckling again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elsa said.

"What's it mean? Your Majesty, you are literally the only person in this whole kingdom that thinks you failed yesterday!"

"But of course I did! I almost killed one of the guards with my powers!"

"No, _he_ almost killed _himself_ trying to get to you to comfort you, so that you could pull your powers back, and it worked!"

"But...but...I failed to stop Hacia from leaving…"

"Only after you stopped a giant magical avalanche of snow and absorbed her storm like they were nothing!"

"She has _Anna!"_

"I know that. You know what else I know? You've got about a thousand subjects out there, male and female, ready to take up weapons from swords to pitchforks and march off after this Hacia person. All they're waiting for is you to show everybody you're all right and give the order. _That's_ what I've been hearing."

Elsa just stared for the longest time, then said, "So...I'm not under house arrest?"

Kristoff had to force himself not to start laughing again. "I wanted to see you as soon as we got here, but the Lord Chancellor said the physician left orders that you weren't to be disturbed until you yourself stated your desire to see visitors. The guards are there to see those orders are carried out."

"Oh," Elsa said. She thought about that, then started to pace again, then she stopped near Kristoff.

Then _she_ started laughing, which set him off again, and the two laughed heartily for the next two minutes before they got control of themselves. Then Elsa said, "I don't know what I was thinking…"

"About Anna, of course," Kristoff said. "You just had to be reminded that Anna isn't gone forever. I don't believe that, so why should you?"

"You really think we'll get her back?"

Kristoff shrugged. "I'm one of those subjects I told you about. I've got an ice pick and I'm ready to use it."

"Then we're sure to get her back. Thank you, Kristoff. I needed to laugh, to have hope." With that she went over to her bed and tugged on a slender cord by the headboard. Bells chimed, and Elsa walked back over to Kristoff and started to explain in detail what happened the previous day.

She was only just getting to the wall of snow when the door opened again to admit Gerda. "Your Majesty!" The woman gasped. "It's so wonderful to see you up and around."

"Thank you, Gerda," Elsa said. "I have a very long day ahead of me and I'd like to have an early breakfast."

"Right away, Your Majesty," Gerda said with a small curtsy.

"Oh, and bring something for Kristoff," Elsa said.

"That's not necessary," Kristoff said. "I'm fine."

"Nonsense!" Gerda told him imperiously. "I expect the swift return of our young princess, and when she's back I'll not be the one to tell her that her young man was staying in the palace and wasn't fed! Why, she might tattle on me to_ Joan!"_

This set both women to giggling, sharing an in-joke that went flying over Kristoff's head, and Gerda left before anybody bothered to explain it to him, so he and Elsa fell back into talking about the previous day. At one point they started talking about what Hacia said.

"That can't be true, can it?" Kristoff said. "You can't really believe she's your mother?"

"Before yesterday I wouldn't have thought so," Elsa said, "but there's never been any real explanation concerning where my powers came from, and she can do everything I can do, and more."

"So she's more powerful?"

"I thought so at first, but now that I think about, it's just that she's more experienced. She seems to know more about what we can do than I ever thought of, like she's had a thousand years to practice and experiment."

"If that's the case, I think we'll be hard pressed to find a way to stop her and get Anna back. We may need a thousand men with swords and pitchforks after all."

"Well, maybe not a thousand…" The beginnings of an idea were forming in her head. "It might actually be useful if she were my mother. It would mean I'm like her in some ways, ways that I could use to predict her actions…" She was lost in thought after that, and the room was silent for several minutes until Gerda returned. The guards opened the door for her as she pushed a large cart full of food before her.

"That was quick." Kristoff said.

"The kitchens have been going all night," Gerda explained. "There are so many people to feed within the palace grounds. It's like the crew of a big man-o-war!"

"So the evacuations were completed?" Elsa asked.

Gerda nodded. "As you slept. The Lord Chancellor felt sure you would want that done. Anyway, since there's so much food being prepared there was enough for me to set up a quick buffet. Now sit down and I'll get you started."

There was a small breakfast nook in a corner of Elsa's room. She and Kristoff went over to it and sat in the two chairs flanking the small oak dining table. As they settled in Gerda put out two place settings and uncovered the trays on the cart. She'd brought a large platter of scrambled eggs, along with various meats like sausage and ham, crepes, croissants and other breakfast pastries, plus the butter and jams to go with them. There was also a small choice of juices, plus coffee and hot chocolate. Once everything was set out, Gerda asked what Elsa and Kristoff preferred. Elsa liked light breakfasts, so she settled on a plate of eggs and a croissant. Kristoff, both hungry and eager to please, accepted everything Gerda happily offered, until his plate was piled high with meats, eggs and breads. Both Queen and ice salesman chose hot chocolate to go with their food.

"Now then," Gerda said, "if you'll excuse me, Your Majesty, I must help get a handle on things in the palace, so I'll take my leave. Help yourselves to anything else you might like and leave the dishes. I'll take care of them later."

Elsa nodded. "Thank you, Gerda."

Gerda offered another small curtsy and left the bedchamber. When she was gone Elsa said a quick grace and then she and Kristoff started their meal. As she ate, Elsa was fascinated to watch Kristoff finish off all the food on his plate, not surprised someone so solidly built needed a lot of food to support himself. What did surprise her was that she was hungrier than usual, so when she was done with her first helping she took some more eggs and added a sausage. They refrained from talking as they ate, so Elsa used the time to work out her idea for confronting Hacia.

When they were done eating, they covered up the food on the cart and poured themselves one more mug of hot chocolate each. As they drank, Elsa said, "I know what to do...at least I think I know. We have a lot to do to get ready."

"Then let's get started," Kristoff said with a nod. "I'm with you all the way."

They both stood and Elsa went to the door and opened it. "Please fetch the Lord Chancellor and the Commandant," she said to the senior guard.

"Right away, Majesty," he said, and he set off.

She and Kristoff made small talk as they waited for the two officials. It wasn't long before the guard knocked and announced the two men. Elsa ushered them in and closed the door again, then she talked to them and Kristoff at once.

"I'm getting my sister back. I know that's already what everyone expects, but I wanted to say it out loud. I have a plan to find her and rescue her, and deal with Hacia, but I'll need help. Commandant, I need you to assemble a force of one hundred men. They must all be volunteers. I need them mounted on horseback and equipped for a long winter march and siege."

"I'll lead the expedition myself, Your Majesty," The Commandant said.

"Of course you will command the troops," Elsa said, "but_ I_ intend to lead the expedition. I must be the one to confront Hacia when we find her, no matter what else happens."

She expected The Commandant to protest, but instead he just nodded sagely and said, "Very Good, Ma'am. I will be honored to fight at your side."

Elsa nodded to him and turned to the Chancellor. "I understand you completed the evacuations last night."

"We completed all aspects of the Frostbite Plan, Your Majesty," the Chancellor said proudly, "in record time. All Arendelle subjects are either protected by the palace walls or secured within nearby shelters. The Volunteer Civilian Protection Service has been activated and been set up to manage these shelters and help patrol the kingdom for strays the original alert may have missed. Thanks to the Commandant the key inroads to the kingdom proper are all doubly secured, and all ships able to sail have set out to the open sea."

"Excellent," Elsa said. "I want you to maintain Frostbite conditions until we return. Hacia might be able to hit Arendelle with a dangerous winter storm while we're en route to her or back and I want everyone to have the best chance for survival."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the Chancellor said. "I promise you Arendelle will remain as you leave it."

Kristoff spoke up then. "Els-Your Majesty, I'd like to volunteer to join the expedition."

"Of course you're coming, Kristoff," Elsa said. "I don't know what happened to Anna to make her act the way she did, but whatever it is may take both of us to overcome it. Besides, I'd like you to take me in your sled. I'm sure the Chancellor would protest and tell me I must ride in some fancy royal war chariot…"

The Chancellor smiled. "I wouldn't dare, Ma'am. I wouldn't dream of contradicting you while you're showing such determination and intelligence." Then, more seriously: "Your parents would be proud of you. Young Kristoff, you are entrusted with the Kingdom's most prized jewel."

"I won't let anything happen to her," Kristoff said.

"Very well," Elsa said. "Now that that's settled, there's one special provision we must take along with us. It could mean the difference between stopping Hacia and going through this every year." She explained in detail, and all the men understood and approved. Kristoff especially promised to talk to local vendors of the product and use his royal association to strike a bargain.

"Now, gentlemen," Elsa said, "I'll have to ask you to excuse me. I must get cleaned up and ready for this day."

"Of course, Your Majesty," the Chancellor said. All three men bowed formally - Kristoff's bow was a little clumsy, but he was learning - and left the room.

Left alone again, Elsa could do nothing but stare at the door for a time, listening to her inner voice torment her. _Pretty speech. Hope you can live up to it._

"I have no choice but to try," Elsa said out loud.

* * *

An hour later Elsa was properly dressed and made up and emerging from the castle proper to the cheers of subjects in the courtyard. Palace guards made sure she wasn't crushed by people trying to get too close to her, but she managed to shake hands with and talk to several individuals, and she even made an icicle for a little girl begging for attention. Several times she was asked the same two questions: "Are you feeling better?" and "Will you bring Anna back?" The cheers doubled when she answered "Absolutely Yes" to both.

She had many things to do today to get ready for her excursion, but she wanted to make sure she took care of one important thing first, which was why she gently broke away from the crowd and made her way to the Guard Barracks. The off-duty guards were flustered at seeing her there, but she asked for permission to enter so that she could pay her respects to Guardsman Swanson, and of course no one could refuse her.

She found him lying in his cot, bandaged and wrapped in blankets to fight the lingering cold. His expression was dour, but he saw her as she approached and immediately perked up. She sat on the cot next to his and personally apologized for hurting him and thanked him for bringing her back to her senses. They talked a little about his family and his reasons for joining the palace guards and his plans for the future. When her visit was done she gave him a loving peck on his cheek and left. When she was gone Swanson smiled as he became the target of lots of good-natured ribbing.

* * *

Later in the day, Elsa conducted a more formal inspection of the troops The Commandant assembled for the expedition. The men stood in ranks next to their horses and man and beast were all at rigid attention. Elsa found it hard to think of them as men. Most of them were younger than her, barely Anna's age, and she suddenly felt guilty about the danger she was going to lead them into.

Beyond the ranks of men and mounts were the transport sleds carrying the unit's supplies. These were all being pulled by single drivers and draft horses, and they all looked industrial and functional…

...which made the elaborate sled at the end of the ranks stand out even more. This was the sled of the Arendelle Official Ice Master and Deliverer, and standing at attention next to it…

"Kristoff!" Elsa said with a smile. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

Kristoff just blushed and adjusted the collar of the tailored Army uniform the Commandant insisted he wear while transporting the Queen. He'd never felt more mortified in his life. "Help me…" He said through his teeth.

Elsa shook her head. "No, no...Anna _has_ to see you like this when we rescue her. She'll flip!"

"I feel like a fraud," Kristoff said.

"It's fine," Elsa said. "You don't see Sven complaining."

They both looked over at Kristoff's reindeer Sven, who's reaction to the formal dress code couldn't be more different from his master's. He was now wearing a formal royal purple dress sheet similar to those worn by the horses in the unit, and he seemed like he couldn't be happier about it. He was posing and preening the way he would if he were on a fashion runway.

It rankled Kristoff. "He just likes showing off, the big ham…"

That made Elsa giggle. "Don't worry. It's just until we get Anna back, and she really will love you in it."

"I suppose," Kristoff sighed.

Elsa offered him one last smile before she turned to the Commandant, who had been walking alongside her during the inspection. "All right. If you give me a few minutes to get ready, we can…"

"Waaaaiiiiiiiiit!" A small voice called out to them from a distance. Elsa and the Commandant turned in its direction and just made out the form of Olaf coming toward the staging area. "Waaaaaaiiiiiit!" He called again as she got closer.

Finally he came to a skidding halt between the Queen and the General. He tried to speak, but he was having a hard time catching his breath. "Ol…[huff]...Olaf…[puff]...whoa...that's...a lot more running...than I'm used to…"

"Olaf, what are you doing here?" Elsa asked.

"Wait…" Olaf said. "Wait for it…" His breathing finally mnormalized enough for him to talk. "Okay." He came to attention. "Count Olaf of Snowy Corners volunteering to join the rescue party, ma'am."

"Oh, I see," Elsa said. "Well, I appreciate the gesture, Count Olaf, but I can't take you this time."

Olaf was immediately crestfallen. "But I have to go! what if we find her and she needs a warm hug?"

Elsa made a show of thinking about that. "Well...if that happens I'll just have to give her lots of warm hugs myself until I can get her to you, okay?"

Now Olaf thought. "Hmm...Why, that plan's jusy crazy enough to work!"

Elsa smiled. "And while you're waiting for us, you'll be here to protect Snowy Corners in case Hacia comes back. A count must be responsible for the safety of his people, you know."

Olaf rubbed his chin. "Well, this would be a way to show off my awesome leadership skills…"

"Good! It's settled then. You will…"

"Wait!" Olaf said. "Though I love Anna with all my heart, I have to think of the safety of my people. I cannot go with you. Good luck, your Majesty" With that he turned dramatically and walked away.

Elsa and the Commandant just watched him leave and shook their heads.

* * *

The unit, which had been named The Queen's Own Regiment, was set up in the early evening to parade march out of Arendelle with Kristoff and Sven at the head of the column. Elsa joined them after taking care of last-minute orders and changing into winter clothes. She didn't need them, of course, but she wanted to show solidarity with the men who volunteered to come with her on this dangerous mission, and they were all in winter uniforms.

She climbed into Kristoff's sled on the passenger side and looked ahead. She extended one of her hands forward and made a little snowfall appear in front of Sven. Just as Hacia had done with her sled, Elsa would provide snow until they reached colder, snowier environs.

Elsa was just about to give Kristoff the order to go when she spotted a strange little shelf with a hole in it sticking out of the dashboard. She pointed to it and asked, "Is that the cup holder?"

"Yep, that it is…" Kristoff said.

"I had no idea why Anna wanted the cartwright to include that in the design," Elsa said. "Doesn't she realize anything you put in the cup would freeze before you had a chance to finish it?"

"I mentioned that very thing," Kristoff said, "and she said she envisions a time when someone will create magical cups that will keep cold liquids cold and hot liquids hot. She said they would be called...Hotcoldinator cups."

They looked at each other for a moment, then they laughed. "My goodness," Elsa said, "the things she comes up with!"

"There are some doozies," Kristoff said.

Suddenly Elsa was very serious. "I want her back so bad…"

"Then let's go get her," Kristoff said. Elsa nodded, and Kristoff gave Sven's reins a little shake, spurring the reindeer to march off. Sven did so with military bearing and precision, keeping up a proper cadence with each step.

* * *

The entire regiment marched out of Arendelle in full view of the subjects hunkering down in preparation for a possible attack. Somewhere, a band played the national anthem as the onlookers said silent prayers and wished the men and their Queen godspeed.

One of those onlookers was The Lord Chancellor. When the very last sled and horse were through the gate and on the Eastern Bridge, he gave the last order of the Frostbite Plan:

"Close the gates."

For the first time since the great thaw, the gates of Arendelle's royal palace were closed and locked. They would not open again until Queen Elsa and Princess Anna returned home.

* * *

"Do we go straight on to Hacia's castle?" Kristoff asked.

"We have to make at least one stop first," Elsa said. "I need to know more about who Hacia is, and I can only think of one person old enough and wise enough to tell me about her."

"Pabbie," Kristoff said.

"Exactly."

Kristoff gave the reins another shake and called out, "Let's go home, Sven."

**TBC...**


End file.
